Skolars recorded their first win of the season, but it took a determined second effort to defeat the Scorpions, who led 14-12 at half-time.
Scorpions took an early lead with James Tutuila offloaded for Dalton Grant to reach the tryline unhindered on the left wing, after Shae Lyon-Fraser had been held just short on the right wing. Skolars gained the lead seven minutes later taking advantage of extra possession after Jack Murphy had spilled a Dylan Skee bomb. Andy McLean side-stepped twice to open up a large gap in the middle of the defence. Scorpions’ defence was much stronger over the next few minutes as they stopped two try chances. Dalton Grant held up Alex Hurst over the line, then three defenders worked to stop Rob Thomas crashing through, the Skolars’ prop losing the ball in the tackle.
At the other end, Murphy came into the line to take a Kristian Hawkes’ pass and got the ball our quickly for Grant to score his second try of the day. South Wales then forced a goal lime drop out from their next attack, putting pressure on the defence before Haydn Peacock scored on the right hand side.
Skolars had been far from convincing up to that point but a break by Skee, continued by David Stephenson and finished by James Anthony saw them reduce the deficit to two points at the break.
They came out strongly in the second half and after Anthony had stopped a Tutuila break, Mike Worrincy showed his pace to score from 20 metres out. A couple of minutes later, Skolars elected to run a penalty close to the try line and were rewarded as Skee slipped through the defence to score. He converted and then kicked a penalty on the hour mark to put Skolars 12 points ahead.
After Andy McLean’s kick had forced a drop-out, Skolars won a penalty 10 metres from the line. They clearly sensed their would be a lot more points in the game and so went for six and were rewarded. After David Williams was held up over the line, Dylan Skee slipped through the defence to score. He converted and when a second penalty chance came, this time they were in front by enough to warrant taking the kick for goal to extend the lead to twelve points.
South Wales were denied two scoring opportunities, Jack Murphy touched down but was adjudged to have crossed behind one of his own players, then Grant finished off a move that started from behind Scorpions own line, only to be brought back for a knock on at the start of the move. Peacock scored his second try to give the visitors back into the game with thirteen minutes remaining, but a diagonal run saw Alex Hurst score to re-assert Skolars’ lead. McLean slotted over a drop goal, only the 12th by Skolars in 11 seasons at pro level.
With the bonus point now drifting away from them, Scorpions tried to win the ball from the restart, but the ball went out on the full and, as so often happens in such situations, conceded a try with Worrincy touching down for his second try, Skee converting to record 16 points in the game.
Mike Worrincy was The Wood Green Mall Man-of-the-Match.
LONDON SKOLARS
1 James Anthony
2 Smokie Junor
28 Alex Hurst
4 John Paxton
5 Ade Adbisi
27 Andy McLean
7 Dylan Skee
8 Rob Thomas
9 Martyn Smith
10 David Williams
11 David Stephenson
12 Mike Worrincy
13 Ollie Purslow
Subs (all used)
30 Michael Sykes
16 Louis Robinson
26 Evan Simons
19 James Roche
Tries: McLean (10), Anthony (34), Worrincy (43,80), Skee (48), Hurst (72)
Goals: Skee 7/7
SOUTH WALES
1 Jack Murphy
2 Dalton Grant
3 Shae Lyon-Fraser
4 Alex James
5 David James
7 Courtney Davies
6 Kristian Hawkes
8 Joe Burke
9 Steven Parry
10 James Greenwood
11 James Tutuila
12 Haydn Peacock
13 Greg Burke
Subs (all used)
15 Ashley Bateman
20 Samir Tahroui
16 Connor Farrer
17 Ben Davies
Tries: Grant (3,18), Peacock (28,67)
Goals: Murphy 1/3, C Davies 1/1
Penalty count: 7-4
Half-time: 12-14
Referee: Jamie Bloem
Attendance: 309
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 6-4, 6-10, 6-14, 12-14,18-14, 24-14, 26-14, 26-20, 32-20, 33-20, 39-20
